Jawad to rake up Iran on Sonia turf

PROMINENT SHIA cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad today announced to hold demonstrations in Rae Bareli and Amethi against AICC president Sonia Gandhi on the Iran issue. An agitation would also be held in Lucknow after Moharram.

indiaUpdated: Feb 08, 2006 01:12 IST

HT Correspondent None

PROMINENT SHIA cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad today announced to hold demonstrations in Rae Bareli and Amethi against AICC president Sonia Gandhi on the Iran issue. An agitation would also be held in Lucknow after Moharram.

Addressing joint press conference here on Tuesday, the Shia cleric, who showed his anger over India’s Iran vote, said he had chosen Rae Bareli and Amethi to expose Sonia Gandhi’s bias against the Muslim community. Jawad said the dates for the stir would be announced soon.

Assailing the Congress-led UPA Government, Jawad said resentment was brewing in the community on the issue. He asserted that it would be a largely religious stir but political parties could join it. However, Jawad avoided a reply on whether the move was guided by political compulsions in UP.

Jawad, who had asked allies to pull down the UPA Government, said these parties should back their stand with action. “Their support to the UPA will then be construed as drama. Instead of surrendering to the US, India should follow its independent foreign policy,” Jawad commented.

However, the joint statement did not demand pulling down the UPA Government. Khalid Sabir said the demand was Jawad’s personal view.

Maulana Fazlur-Rehman said a demonstration would also be held at the Tile Wali Masjid. He said Iran had been pursuing its nuclear plan in self-defence and it was not against any country. Maulana Qasmi and Mohammad Ahmad said India’s vote against Iran was unfortunate and had hurt the sentiments of Muslims.

The clerics also condemned Danish newspapers for publishing objectionable caricatures of Prophet Mohammad.

Meanwhile, in Kanpur, India’s vote against Iran at the meeting of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at Vienna has enraged Muslim organisations of the city.

The ulema said after the US ambassador’s remark, India should vote in favour of Iran. Spokesman of the Husaini Federation Munsif Ali Rizvi also accused the UPA Government of deserting old friend Iran at the crucial hour. “India must have voted for Iran and not for a nation whose destructive policies are aptly
exemplified by the debacle in Iraq,” stated Rizvi.

General Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema Hind Matinul Haq Osama Quasmi dubbed India’s vote against Iran as a virtual surrender to the dictates of the US. “This vote against Iran is a direct assault on its sovereignty and India has played a role in it,” added Quasmi. National president of the Husaini Mission of India Mohammed Zafar Husain also expressed his outrage at India’s vote against Iran.

General Secretary of the Markazi Milli Council Dr Irshad Ali Siddiqui said anti-Muslim activities were being propagated deliberately. “This outrageous act was not expected from the Congress government. The Union Government must now clarify about its relations with the US,” stated Siddiqui.